The Geography of Civil Unions in Vermont

In 2000, Vermont established “civil unions” meant for same-sex couples. This form of marriage relied on the existence of a local gay and lesbian community, while contributing to the development of “gay and lesbian tourism” and pushing certain churches to revisit their treatment of same-sex couples. Gay and lesbian rights and rural communities are not mutually exclusive.

This article is a translation (by Mary Eichbauer), the original French version was published in Mappemonde, 2003, #3, Belin-RECLUS.